Everyone has a story relating to the oracle known as the Ouija board. While many people claim that the board is harmless, there are others who say that the board is a key to the other side. The question is who is opening the door to let the spirits pass through? The answer is very simple.

Man has always asked the deep philosophical question of where does the spirit go after the body is left in the dark grave? Religion attempts to answer these questions each with it's own dogmatic explanation, however there are times when man demands a more concrete answer. If one reads the Bible, they will find in its pages the story of Saul and his encounter with the witch of Endor. Saul asks the witch to contact the spirit of Samuel. The biblical passage shows that Saul was participating in the second oldest profession, which is visiting conduits or seers in order to get information from the other side.

At first the skill of opening doors to the spirit realm was limited to certain people and many people would pay a great deal of money to hear the words of the long dead. Soon many people were realizing that this skill was not limited to witches, or mediums. They realized that the power to receive messages from the dead was within all of us, if we just opened our minds to the possibility.

The idea was to allow the mind to fall into a trance like state. It was then and only then that the mind would take the body into the astral plane where all kinds of suggestions and images would appear.

It sounds so simple, yet there are many things needed in order to reach that nirvana. Basic concentration is a start and tools that need to be employed so that the mind can focus. These tools or Icons are called oracles.

There are many oracles in use today in churches. One of the most widely used tool or oracle is of course the crucifix. Catholics also use Rosary beads. These talismans channel the power of God and Jesus Christ and are used by the believer to ward off evil. Wiccans use ceremonial daggers, as oracles, psychics use crystal balls, and tarot cards.

Talisman and symbols are tokens or signs that are empowered by the believer and are a symbol of belief. The unfortunate thing is that some talisman and symbols have been perverted and now take on new meanings by people who are ignorant as to their origin.

One talisman that has been misunderstood over the years is the five-pointed Star or Pentagram. While many will be quick to point out that this symbol is a talisman which empowers evil, educated scholars of the occult will tell you that the five pointed star when circled and worn as a talisman is a protection symbol against darkness and evil. It is a symbol of the goddess Kore, also known as Ceres. The Greeks considered its geometric symmetry to be a sign of perfection. Hebrews viewed the sign as a symbol of the five books of the Pentateuch, and viewed it as a symbol of Truth. Even early Christianity viewed it as a holy symbol, equating the five points of the star with the five wounds suffered by Christ on the cross.

When the star is inverted it is a perversion of the symbol and has been associated with Satanism. The history of such a perversion began when Christian hysteria during the Inquisition, began to equate the pentagram with the sign of ancient gods. Those Gods of course were denounced by the church as representations of the devil.

After the Christians rejected the symbol as a symbol of truth It was Eliphas Levi who used an inverted pentagram to signify the god Baphomet, a goat-headed god of Evil. Levi was magician in the 19th century and so the symbol became a talisman of power for underground faiths everywhere, including the Church of Satan.

People always ask me why certain symbols that are allegedly of Satan appear on Holy dwellings and the answer is simple. It is man who has changed their meaning over time and the truth is, symbols are benign at first and the powers they attract are in the minds of the beholders.

A perfect example of this is the Swastika, which of course is a symbol for Nazism. The awful truth is that the symbol itself is a symbol of harmony. It was used by American Indians, Hindus, Buddhists, Vikings, Greeks, Romans, Celts, Anglo-Saxons, Mayans, Aztecs, Persians, Christians, and Neolithic tribes, and is still a sacred symbol to many Hindus and Buddhists.

Some look at the cross as a symbol of Torture. To many Romans anciently it was a symbol of death. To Christians it is the symbol of hope. Turn it upside down and it becomes a symbol of blasphemy.

From casting of the runes to crystal balls the person who wishes to transmit or receive a message uses the tools for pure showmanship. It takes the mind to a different level. It is the stepping stone to further divination.

Another tool of divination that many people are familiar with is the Ouija Board. Never has there been a device that has been met with more controversy than the board with numbers and letters on it, and a planchette that is used for pointing.

The reason why it is so controversial is because on one hand many say that the board is fake, and others claim that rather than getting direct responses from certain entities, you are opening your self up to numerous entities both good and evil. Another controversy that is rarely talked about is that most people who have Ouija boards do not know the procedures to make them work. So they either project responses or get no responses at all.

Most Ouija Boards come without instructions. Many people argue that it doesn't need instructions, however an Ouija board can be like a gun if it is not used properly. Many people do not know that before an Ouija board is used it must be opened ritualistically. One can say a prayer over it asking that the board be cleansed of evil spirits. One can light incense or sweet grass to cleanse the room. All participants on the board must not smoke, or be high on intoxicants while in the process of channeling.

There needs to be two people using the Ouija in order for it to work effectively. One person must be the medium or the primary contact in order for the board to work as well. Many people think that the more the merrier, however in order for it to work only two need to place their hands on the pointer.

The medium is the one who will ask the questions. If the group has a question they should quietly ask the medium to relay the question to the board. The Medium needs to also be aware of what is going on in the room at the time of the ritual. My experience with the Ouija board took place in a secluded cabin far from any distractions. The medium who directed the questions to the board pointed out to me a very interesting phenomenon with the Ouija board.

She pointed out that a lot of entities spell things phonetically. Sometimes they spell in reverse. Spirits take with them the knowledge they received from what ever realm they occupy. Not every entity that appears on the board has lived on earth! Some spirits who speak are spirits who have not been born.

It fascinated me that the spirit who appeared during my session was my Grandfather. The Witch did not know my grandfather's name yet the spirit spelled the name perfectly and knew many things about me. The spirit actually told me that my wife at the time was sick and to call her. I called her and she did come home from work with the flu. It was very real and very creepy.

If a spirit misspells a word be careful not to criticize or make fun of it. There was an incident where a group of people at a Halloween party laughed at a misspelled word and said "Someone is fucking with the board." The planchette immediately moved to the word GOODBYE. The planchette then flipped across the room and knocked over a candle setting a place mat on fire.

Spirits also lie. Another thing to be careful of. Some hate to be called on their lies. They often will give you false dates, false direction and sometimes they will get angry. That is the chance you take when playing with an Ouija board.

Spirits do not like telling the future. Some will, but many say NO when you ask them about future events. Much like Dickens Christmas Carol the spirits told Scrooge of what may happen, not what is definite. The Future is unsure in any realm and there are things that are clear and some things that are cloudy. Don't ask questions that you really don't want to know.

Like it or not spirits aren't as powerful without bodies. Most are modest and are very careful not to startle you. Angry spirits sometimes can get out of hand and the only way to stop them is to break away from the board.

No one can be possessed by a demon after use of an Ouija Board. However, there are times when the spirits you contact can remain with you and contact you by other means.

Spirits also remain if you do not properly close the board. You must say out loud that the session is over and that it is time to say good bye. The planchette is then moved to the word Good bye and is neatly put away. If you do not close the board, it is like leaving a door open for all kinds of spirits to pass through, even the angry ones.

There are dangers to using a board.

Mistakes are often made using an Ouija board and many people have it coming when they refuse to use common sense and an evil spirit attempts contact. That is why you should never under any circumstances use a board alone.

There is a way you can tell if the spirit you have contacted is evil. Many agree that when the planchette moves erratically and then to the Four Corners of the board the spirit is more than likely evil. The thing you do in this case is break away from the board and close it properly. The medium must do this. That is why the responsibility of being the medium is a very important one. The medium must also pay attention to movement on the board , if the planchette moves in a figure eight this also means that a mischievous entity has control.

Also make sure that the planchette remains on the board at all times. If it leaves the board during a session, a spirit can get loose off the board.

Never use the Ouija board while sick, tired, high, or drunk.

There is a danger that if you use the board too much you can reach a point where it becomes addictive. This is called progressive entrapment. This can eventually lead to becoming aware of spirits at all times. Sometimes you may see them, or they may appear to you in dreams. They can also leave you messages. Some people claim that they have received phone calls and e-mails from spirits.

Never use an Ouija Board in a graveyard, or at a crime scene. Malevolent entities are there and you are asking for trouble when you summon spirits in these locales.

Use wisdom. If the board upsets you do not use it . If you think they are Satanic do not use them. Always remember that as the medium you are the chairman of the board and while others argue that Ouija Boards work through ideomotor responses, either way you have the ability to open the door and close it.